Behind 712 yards of offense, 484 of which came from quarterback Kaidon Salter, Liberty (13-0, 8-0 CUSA) defeated New Mexico State (10-4, 7-1), 49-35, on Friday night in the 2023 Conference USA Championship.
“I’m very proud of our team,” said Liberty head coach Jamey Chadwell. “Things didn’t go perfect for us. We took their best shot, but there was never a doubt on our sideline that we were going to find a way to get it done. This group of men have had that mindset all year long. They believed and thought they would find a way to get it done. To be able to do that, be 13-0, be Conference USA Champions, we thought that was out there. We thought we could achieve that if things went our way, and, boy, did it go our way all season long.”
Liberty is the first CUSA team ever to start 13-0 and has tied Houston (2011) and Marshall (2014), who both went 13-1, for the most wins in a single season by a Conference USA football team. The Flames doing it in the program’s first season in the league.
“Being our first year in the conference, we definitely wanted to make a statement,” said Liberty wide receiver CJ Daniels. “Each week, we took it as the next game. We were out there having fun. I felt like 12-0 came up on us quick. Just living in the moment, not even knowing we’re making history. The season just crept up on us and now we’re here, 13-0, Conference USA Champions.”
The game’s MVP, Salter was sensational. He completed 20 of 25 passes for 319 yards and two touchdowns while adding a career-high 165 rushing yards and another touchdown on 12 carries. His 484 total yards were the third most in a CUSA Championship Game and the second most by a Liberty player in a single game, trailing only Mike Brown’s 494 yards against Stony Brook on Nov. 20, 2010. That game was also the last time a Liberty player rushed for 100 yards and threw for 300 yards in the same game.
“I feel like today I just went out there and had fun,” Salter said after the game. “That was the main goal today. Although this was a big championship game, a big game to everybody, to us, it was just the next one. We just wanted to go out there and play for each other today.”
The Aggies were not an easy out for the unblemished Flames. The visitors from New Mexico State repeatedly answered Liberty’s blows, whether it was from starting quarterback Diego Pavia or third string signal caller Blaze Berlowitz who entered the game in the second half for the injured Pavia.
The Flames pushed the lead to 35-21 early in the third quarter behind a Salter 20-yard touchdown pass to CJ Daniels, but Pavia and NMSU immediately answered on a one-play, 75-yard touchdown strike to crawl back to a one score deficit. After Nick Brown missed a 32-yard field goal just barely wide right, Berlowitz entered the game and led the Aggies to the tying touchdown drive, evening the score at 35.
But, as has been the case all season, Liberty found a way. Billy Lucas’ three-yard touchdown run capped a nine-play, 80-yard touchdown drive to give the home crowd of 20,077 something to cheer about once more. The Flames took the lead, 42-35, and did not look backing, scoring 14 unanswered in the final quarter to seize hold of the championship trophy.
Brandon Bishop’s highlight worthy interception in the end zone on the ensuing New Mexico State drive would give Salter and the Liberty offense all the separation it needed.
Liberty’s final points came from a 35-yard touchdown run by Salter as he juked and jived his way through the NMSU defense and into the end zone. It was one of the best runs by a quarterback you will ever see.
“That’s what he’s able to do, the Lord’s blessed him with great natural ability,” said Chadwell of Salter on that run. “Then, the confidence he is playing with. We had a play on, they gave us a different look, and he was wise enough to do something that was a turnover or a lost play. Then he made people miss, that’s the gift that he has.”
Liberty’s 712 total yards of offense (393 rushing, 319 passing) are the second most in program history. Only the 730 yards at UMass on Nov. 2, 2019 were more. This was the third time in program history that Liberty rushed for 300 and passed for 300 in the same game and the first time it has happened as an FBS member. The 712 yards of offense also set a new record for a Conference USA Championship Game.
With his performance Friday night, Salter surpassed the 1,000 yard rushing mark on the season, becoming the first Liberty quarterback to do so. He also set the program’s single-season records for passing touchdowns (31) and touchdowns responsible for (43).
CJ Daniels tied his career high with 157 receiving yards on seven catches as he hauled in his 10th touchdown catch of the season.
Quinton Cooley rushed 11 times for 71 yards and three touchdowns, his third three-touchdown game of the season and second in a row. His 1,322 rushing yards this season are the third most in a single season in program history and most since Rashad Jennings’ program-record 1,500 rushing yards in 2008.
Aaron Bedgood recorded a career-high 165 all-purpose yards, with 72 rushing yards, two catches for 33 yards, and three kickoff returns for 60 yards.
Noah Frith caught a career-high five passes for 60 yards and one touchdown.
Liberty now awaits its bowl destination, which will be announced formally on Sunday afternoon. The Flames have the potential to finish as the highest ranked Group of Five conference champion and secure a New Year’s Six bowl invitation.
